A wireless tag to be associated with the object to be linked, tracked, or both is disclosed along with an electronic device for communicating with the tag and updating the information to an external device, such as a computer, network, or the cloud. Information such as, but not limited to time, position (including latitude, longitude, and altitude), speed, direction, temperature, and identification can be transmitted for either real-time linking/tracking and analysis, or a historical view. In one embodiment, the electronic device for communicating with the tag is a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a pair of electronic glasses, or a watch.
In a first exemplary embodiment, a wireless tag for determining the position of an attached physical object or status of an environment in which the tag is placed is disclosed. In one embodiment, the wireless tag includes a power source for providing electrical power to the wireless tag, a radio transmitter and receiver system for wirelessly exchanging data and command with an electronic device, and a user interface including at least one input and at least one output, wherein the electronic device determines the location or status of the electronic device and a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds a predetermined distance and wirelessly communicates data including the time, the location of the electronic device (including latitude, longitude, and altitude), speed and the status. In another embodiment, the electronic device communicates data to the network at predetermined period intervals and/or upon the initiation of a predetermined event. In still another embodiment, the wireless tag has a thickness of about 10 mm or less, and in another embodiment about 6 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the communication between the tag and electronic device is encrypted. In yet still another embodiment the wireless tag includes one or more sensors having an output reading. In another embodiment, a plurality of tags is provided.
In a second exemplary embodiment a system for tracking the position of an object is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a wireless tag including a first radio transmitter and receiver system and a user interface including at least one input and at least one output; an electronic device includes a second radio transmitter and receiver system in communication with the first radio transmitter and receiver system, a user interface including at least one output, a module for determining the position of the electronic device, a module for determining the distance or proximity and/or direction of the tag from the device and also for determining a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds a predetermined distance, and a data transmitter for transmitting commands and data including the position of the electronic device and status of the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag; and an external device receiving the data transmitted by the data transmitter and storing the data in a computer readable storage medium. In another embodiment, the system includes a second (3rd, 4th, . . . , nth) wireless tag secured to a second (3rd, 4th, . . . , nth) object to be linked or tracked, the second wireless tag including a third radio transmitter and receiver system; and a user interface including at least one input and one output; wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver system is in communication with the third radio transmitter and receiver system, the electronic device includes a module for determining the distance or proximity and/or direction of the tag from the phone and also for determining a second status of whether the distance between the electronic device and second wireless tag exceeds a second predetermined distance, and the data transmitter for transmits data including the second status.
In a third exemplary embodiment, a method for monitoring the location of an object is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes securing a wireless tag to the object, wherein the wireless tag includes a first radio transmitter and receiver system for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal; providing a first identification for the wireless tag; associating the wireless tag with an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a second radio transmitter and receiver system for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and the electronic device is capable of determining the position of the electronic device; determining the position of the electronic device; providing a second identification for the electronic device; receiving with the second radio transmitter and receiver system the radio frequency signal from first radio transmitter and receiver system; determining with the electronic device the distance or proximity and/or direction of the tag from the phone and also a status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device exceeds a predetermined distance based at least in part on the strength or absence of the radio frequency signal; and transmitting data including the first identification, the second identification, the time, the speed, the position of the electronic device, and the status to an external device. In another embodiment, the radio transmitter and receiver systems are Bluetooth transceivers and the tag has a thickness of about 10 mm or less or about 6 mm or less. In still another embodiment, the wireless tag includes an alarm and the second Bluetooth transceiver sends a signal to the first Bluetooth transceiver to activate the alarm or carry out any other predetermined action or command when the status changes because the predetermined distance was exceeded. Alarming or carrying out other actions or commands, could also be initiated by the user, by demand, from any part of the overall system (tag, phone, cloud).
In a fourth exemplary embodiment, a method of preventing the loss and/or theft of an object is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes attaching a wireless tag to the object, the wireless tag including a first radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a tag alarm; associating the wireless tag with an electronic device, the electronic device including a second radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a device alarm, wherein the electronic device is capable of determining the position of the electronic device; providing an allowable distance or range; monitoring the radio frequency signal from the first radio transceiver received by the second radio transceiver and activating the device alarm if the radio frequency signal is broken; monitoring the radio frequency signal from the second radio transceiver received by the first radio transceiver and activating the tag alarm as well as an alarm (or other outputs like light) on the electronic device if the radio frequency signal is broken; and determining with the electronic device a status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device exceeds the allowable distance or range based at least in part on the strength or absence of the radio frequency signal; wherein the electronic device activates at least one of the tag alarm and device alarm, determines the position of the electronic device and saves them on the device and wirelessly transmits data including the time, the speed and the position of the electronic device to an external device if the distance exceeds the allowable distance or range. In another embodiment, the method includes wirelessly transmitting data and commands to the external device including the time and position of the electronic device each time the determining step is performed or by demand.
In a fifth exemplary embodiment, a method of initiating commands is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a wireless tag including a first radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a tag alarm; associating the wireless tag with an electronic device, the electronic device including a second radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a device alarm, wherein the electronic device is capable of determining the position of the electronic device; providing a predetermined action(s) to be taken upon receiving a predetermined radio frequency signal (or a combination of signals); transmitting the predetermined radio frequency signal from one of the first radio transceiver and second radio transceiver; receiving the predetermined radio frequency signal with the other of the first radio transceiver and second radio transceiver; and taking the predetermined action. In another embodiment, the method is directed to locating an object by sounding an alarm attached to the object or similarly locating the electronic device by activating its alarm (or triggering other output methods).
In a sixth exemplary embodiment, a method of providing a panic alert is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a wireless tag including a first radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a tag alarm; associating the wireless tag with an electronic device, the electronic device including a second radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal, and a device alarm, wherein the electronic device is capable of determining the position of the electronic device; transmitting a predetermined radio frequency signal from one of the first and second radio transceivers; receiving the predetermined radio frequency signal with the other of the first and second radio transceivers; activating the tag alarm and device alarm; determining the position of the electronic device; transmitting data including the time, the speed and the position of the electronic device to an external device, carrying out commands/actions on the device and sending commands to the network/cloud; and transmitting data including the time and the position of the electronic device to a predetermined contact(s). In another embodiment, the predetermined contact selected from a list of contacts based at least in part on the position of the electronic device.
In a seventh exemplary embodiment, a method of utilizing a series of wireless tags in a promotion, advertising, education, training or gaming embodiment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a plurality of tags, each tag including a tag radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal; providing an allowable distance or range and unique identification for each of the plurality of tags; associating each of the plurality of tags with a first electronic device, the first electronic device including a radio transceiver for communicating with the tag radio transceiver; spacing apart the plurality of tags; approaching a first of the plurality of tags with a second electronic device, the second electronic device including a radio transceiver for communicating with the tag radio transceiver and a user interface; determining with the second electronic device a status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less than the allowable distance or range based at least in part on the strength or absence of the radio frequency signal; providing an alert on the user interface and transmitting with the second electronic device data including the time and tag identification to an external device if the determining step determines that the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less than the allowable distance or range. In another embodiment, the method includes providing a category for each of the plurality of tags and transmitting the category to the external device if the determining step determines that the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less than the allowable distance or range.
In an eight exemplary embodiment, a method of monitoring a patient in a health care facility is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes attaching a wireless tag to the patient, the wireless tag including a first radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a tag alarm; associating the wireless tag with an electronic device, the electronic device including a second radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal and a device alarm, wherein the electronic device is capable of determining the position of the electronic device; providing an allowable distance or range; monitoring the radio frequency signal from the first radio transceiver received by the second radio transceiver and activating the device alarm if the radio frequency signal is broken; monitoring the radio frequency signal from the second radio transceiver received by the first radio transceiver and activating the tag alarm if the radio frequency signal is broken; and determining with the electronic device a status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device exceeds the allowable distance or range based at least in part on the strength or absence of the radio frequency signal; wherein the electronic device activates at least one of the tag alarm and device alarm, determines the position of the electronic device and wirelessly transmits data including the time, the temperature, and the position of the electronic device to an external device if the distance exceeds the allowable distance or range. In another embodiment, the method includes saving locally (on the device) and wirelessly transmitting data to the external device including the time and position and speed of the electronic device each time the determining step is performed.
In a ninth exemplary embodiment, a method of monitoring the position of a participant in an athletic event is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes securing a wireless tag to the participant, wherein the wireless tag includes a first radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal; providing a first identification for the wireless tag; associating the wireless tag with a plurality of electronic devices, wherein each of the electronic devices includes a clock, and a device radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency signal; and providing an identification and a predetermined distance or range for each of the electronic devices; wherein, for each electronic device, determining with the electronic device a status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less than the predetermined distance based at least in part on the strength or absence of the radio frequency signal and transmitting to an external device the electronic device identification, the time, and the status of whether the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less or more than the predetermined distance In another embodiment, the wireless tag includes an alarm and the device radio transceiver sends a signal to the wireless tag to activate the alarm or carrying out other commands/actions on the device and sending commands to the external device if the distance between the wireless tag and the electronic device is less than the predetermined distance. In another embodiment, the speed of the participant between two points is communicated to an external device.
In a tenth exemplary embodiment, a system for providing an application programming interface (API) and/or software development kit (SDK) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a wireless tag having a unique identification and including a power source for providing electrical power to the wireless tag, a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging potentially encrypted data with an electronic device, and a user interface including at least one input and at least one output wherein the electronic device determines time, the speed and the position of the electronic device and a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds a predetermined distance and wirelessly communicates data and/or commands including the position of the electronic device, time, speed and the status; an electronic device including a radio transceiver capable of communicating with the wireless tag radio transceiver, a user interface including at least one input and one output, a module for determining the position of the electronic device, a module for determining a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds a predetermined distance, and a data transmitter for transmitting data including time, speed and the position of the electronic device and status of the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag to an external device for storage in a computer readable storage medium; an external device in communication with the electronic device and wireless tag and storing data in a computer readable storage medium transmitted by at least one of the wireless tag and electronic device; a computer system executing an application programming interface and/or software development kit in communication with the external device and electronic device, wherein the application programming interface and/or software development kit provides a user interface to one of the external device and electronic device including an input to execute one or more commands transmitted by radio frequency signal to the wireless tag.
In an eleventh exemplary embodiment, a method of providing a positioning service to a customer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a plurality of wireless tags to the customer for small or no charge, each tag having a unique identification and including a power source for providing electrical power to the wireless tag, a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging encrypted data with an electronic device, and a user interface including at least one input and at least one output wherein the electronic device determines the position of the electronic device and a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds one or more predetermined distances and wirelessly communicates data including the position, with time and speed of the electronic device and the status; providing a computer-readable medium containing an application programming interface and/or software development kit to the customer and/or a developer, the application programming interface and/or software development kit being configured to support a software application on the tag and/or the electronic device and/or the cloud, wherein the electronic device includes a radio transceiver capable of communicating with the wireless tag radio transceiver, a user interface including at least one input and one output, a module for determining the position, the speed and time of the electronic device, a module for determining a status of whether the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag exceeds one or more predetermined distance, and a data transmitter for transmitting data including the position, with time and speed of the electronic device and status of the distance between the electronic device and wireless tag to an external device for storage in a computer readable storage medium and carrying out commands/actions; and associating the plurality of tags with the application programming interface and/or software development kit for a periodic fee or a consumption-based fee, such as based on how many tags being linked, how many times data or commands are communicated or how much data or commands are communicated in a given period. In another embodiment, the method includes developing programs utilizing the application programming interface and/or software development kit and allowing access to the programs for a free or for a fee.
The above mentioned and other features of the invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.